If you enjoy a cocktail now and again, do me a favor and do some of your spirit shopping — at least for the next few months — at Sherwood Liquors on the corner of Spruce Street and Arctic Avenue in Ewing.

But word to the wise: Only do this around 10:30 or so in the morning, as that’s about the only time gridlock doesn’t completely overtake this normally sleepy intersection. For the last three weeks — and until at least Christmas — North Olden Avenue is closed in both directions at Arctic, and traffic is being diverted onto the road. And people, trying to avoid that mess, are using surrounding side streets to avoid getting stuck.

True story: It took me 6 minutes to travel roughly 550 feet, from the corner of Prospect Avenue to the entrance of the liquor store. And this was not during rush hour.

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So it’s busy. So busy, you really have to question the decision-making process here. Olden is a traffic-filled four-lane road, and dumping all that traffic onto the side streets all at once seems like a really bad idea.

Which is why I’m asking you to buy your booze at Sherwood: They’re going to be put out of business because of this county construction project.

“We lost literally half our business,” said Bob Baran, who, along with his wife Beth Domboski, has owned the store for 28 years. “And I don’t blame people for not coming here. I wouldn’t come here. We get most of our business between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m., when people are coming home from work. During that time, it’s total and complete gridlock. Even if you can get in, you can’t get back out.”

Baran isn’t the only business owner who has seen their sales crater.

“There’s been a lack of customers, sure,” said Kerry Fasulka of Pic Pocket on Arctic Avenue, a boutique owned by her aunt Janet Flannery. “We have all this traffic, but no one is stopping in.”

Salah Omara, who’s nephew owns Dominator Pizza on Spruce, says business is bad. “Somebody might come in, but they can’t get back out,” he said. “It’s like this all day. I’d say business is down 50 or 60 percent.” (It should be noted this pizza joint also sells kebabs and falafel, and I was royally peeved I had just eaten lunch. Next time.)

Of course, construction projects happen. This county project is meant to fix a crumbling bridge. But …

“They dropped the ball,” said Baran. “Inconsiderate, at the very least. There was clearly no traffic study done, and if there was one, they should fire the guy. Why not do half the bridge at a time and keep Olden open?”

A valid question, and one he said was answered by Ewing Mayor Bert Steinmann, who told him the work, a four-month job, would’ve taken over a year to complete by keeping part of the road open. Besides, his hands were tied. County project.

Well, at least Steinmann got back to him.

Baran showed me his list of politicians he’s reached out to, looking for something, anything to be done.

“No return calls from Bonnie Watson Coleman, Shirley Turner, Rush Holt, or Aaron Watson, the county director of transportation,” Baran said. “Reed Gusciora’s office told me they are going to try and help, and a lackey for the freeholders called me back but nothing happened. It’s like they don’t care. If you survive you survive, if you close you close.”

Baran also says no official informed him of the work that was going to be done.

“A customer told me they saw the signs go up about a week before the project started,” he said.

For now, Baran realizes there’s just not that much that can be done, short of completely rerouting the detour. He’s hoping the township will grant him a tax abatement to help stem the tide, but he’s not even sure that will be enough.